Information — Integration - Inspiration

Abstract

Management of the environment and decision making on the use of its resources require in-depth knowledge and analysis of complex processes and their interactions. Numerical data form an essential basis for the development of models that, in turn, allow for forecasting and simulation. Technology permits ever-increasing amounts of a wide spectrum of data on the environment to be acquired, often in real-time. However, the user in environmental management and decision making is seldom interested in a direct access to these vast amounts of diverse data. Reduction, compression and above all, integration need to be applied, generating user oriented and dedicated information products. Examples will be given on how this approach can be implemented, and the requirements to make such integration successful will be investigated. Only in this way, information extracted from raw data and integrated into a new product can become a valuable source of inspiration for management and decision making on the environment and its resources.